Laurie Brown Kennedy has been principal violist and frequent soloist with the Portland Symphony Orchestra since 1981. She has performed as soloist several times on both the Tuesday Classical and Sunday Classical series, and was the featured soloist with the PSO in March, 1997 for the opening of the newly-renovated Merrill Auditorium.

In addition to her work with the PSO, she devotes herself to the development and performance of chamber music in Maine. Pursuing a lifelong love of chamber music, she has performed every summer for over thirty years at the Sebago-Long Lake Music Festival, a 5-week series in Harrison. For many years she has been Music Director of this festival, creating the programs and hiring artists from around the country, and designing and narrating the popular Music for Kids programs. She is also founder, co-director, and violist with Maine Mountain Chamber Music, which has presented a series at the University of Maine at Farmington since 2002. Laurie also teaches violin, viola and chamber music in the Farmington area. She has founded and directed a high school string quartet program, and for many years taught an exploratory string program in SAD 21.

At the age of 21, she joined the viola section of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and later served as principal violist for the Vancouver Symphony and the Buffalo Philharmonic. A native of Massachusetts, she received her Bachelors degree from Smith College and her Masters, as well as the coveted Performers Certificate from Indiana University School of Music. Kennedy has resided in Carthage, Maine since 1981. She is an avid gardener and enjoys hiking, camping and traveling.